Sovereign
by ArraLily
Summary: Syndra is a young girl who's only just began training in the sacred art of swordsmanship. When confronted with a threat on her life, she discovers that she's been born with a very powerful gift. When she is imprisoned for her power by the ones meant to protect her, and all the ones she loves taken from her, what evil can be found hidden inside a girl who knows power without limit?
1. Prologue

I awoke to the gentle tickle of Yun's tongue lapping at my outstretched fingers and took a slow, lengthy breath, inhaling the sweet-tasting country air that flowed in through the open window to my right. I silently stroked his flowing white mane. Even Yun, my wolf, knew that today was a special day. It was the day I became a true warrior! It's a day every Ionian child waits for: the first moon of autumn, the day that the elders take us under their teachings and entrust us with their knowledge of swordsmanship. I had waited 16 years for this day, and it had finally arrived. Hastily, I threw off the quilts that caressed my body and snatched up a brush while bolting for the door; I had to prepare.

On the solid, finely carved maple door hung a beautiful, sleek, light-purple colored kimono, with an intricately laced black pattern of roses and violets from the shoulders, across the breast all the way down to the waist. It had a piece of parchment pinned to the shoulder that read:

 _"Syndra,_

 _I know today is a big day for you, and I want you to know that I am so proud of the beautiful and strong young woman you are becoming. I will see you soon, my darling. I hope you appreciate the robe that I have gotten you. I love you to the ends of Valoran. Make me proud, princess._

 _Love, your Father."_

I read with admiration the kind words, then softly folded up the note signed with my father's intricate, delicate handwriting and placed it underneath the black satin waistband, just out of sight inside the newly-laced kimono. I brushed my hair furiously while trying to arrange the skirt of my robe so that it sat perfectly around my ankles, to no avail. It sat at a stubborn angle and refused to cooperate. Angrily but precisely, I bound together the middle part of my straight, snowy, elbow-length hair and pinned the three parts I had made together at the tips. It was a style my mother had used when she was young.

I stole down the staircase and around the fashioned wooden corner into the dining room where my mother stood preparing a last-minute breakfast for me; it was clear that I had overslept. She smiled kindly as I stumbled in, but took a more serious air when she noticed the protruding edges of my skirt. She glared at the imperfection with her glossy sapphire eyes, the same she shared with me. We were a lot alike: thin, sleek, snow-white hair, a strong posture and our mildly tall height, as well as the same pursed pink lips when we saw something we did not like.

She was quick to arrange my kimono as she had once done herself, tucking the edges neatly over each other and pressing them together crisply. She then placed a few stray strands of hair that had fallen from their band back into place and kissed me softly on the cheek. She glanced at the clock that hung lazily on the cream-colored wall and then turned to look me in the eyes.

"I'm very proud of you, Syndra, as is your father. We are here for you should you ever need us. I love you so, so much. We know you'll make us proud," she said with a grin visible on her lips. "Good luck, sweetheart."

With that, she hugged me with strong, cloth-covered arms, thrust a bowl of wild berries into my hand and sent me on my way to the western temple, the one that my entire family had belonged to. It is there that I will be tested on my knowledge and skill with a blade, which will also be given to me, in birth order. I was born on the third moon of winter, so I will be one of the first to receive their blade. The thought of being one of the first students to be bestowed with such a gift brought a warm feeling to my heart, and a smile to my lips.

I burst through the mahogany door engraved with violets and roses, and intricate spirals, the symbols of my family, while shoving unceremoniously a hand of berries into my mouth. I could tell I had to move quickly: no other students were nearby, meaning they must already be at the temple. Though I had to make haste, I also needed to keep my clothing clean and my hair tidy, which was certainly not easy given the dusty surroundings. The temple was just coming into view behind the tall, ancient trees, its majestic blood-red rooftop standing watch in the distance, when the sound of hurried footfalls came from behind me. They belonged to a young man who appeared to be around my age, and was in just as much a hurry as I, as could be seen from the furrowed brow of the form that was coming quickly into view. A bead of sweat rolled down his cheek but he quickly wiped it away. The glint in his forest-green eyes seemed to tell that he had an important day ahead of him, as well. He blew by me as quickly as he had appeared, his bright blue shirt billowing in the wind, leaving only a trail of dust licking at my sides and the faint words, "Pardon me!" could be heard from his retreating body. The wind rushed up for a moment beside me, then settled, but his light brown hair that was held back in a ponytail did not; it stood tall as if held there by magic, but bobbed up and down as though nothing were there at all.

I brushed off my robe quickly and hurriedly ran my fingers through my bangs to ensure they were still in order as I flew up the golden yellow steps past the grand stone arches that led to the entrance of the temple. Standing at the entrance under the looming mahogany doorframe that led to the heart of the temple were the three elders of the western temple, one man and two women among them. They wore rough, aged white robes that had a golden inscription around the right arm, and a thin golden circle with lines intruding on either side and joined with the top, the sign of Ionian purity, drawn over their hearts. A lone crimson red band was slung around each thin waist, and each had long silver hair tied behind their heads in an equally long bow that matched the belt. They stood still with attentive old eyes as they watched the 9 young students, each around my age that had presented themselves, myself among them. I was proud to stand in front of them. I knew that it truly was time for me to become a warrior. I stood second in line; only one student was older than me, the tall boy with the ponytail that seemed as though even the wind was with him. He stood in front of me eagerly awaiting the words that would come next, and they soon did. My eyes widened in excitement, and I could barely contain my happiness.

With a calm and balanced tone, I heard the elders say in unison:

"Shall we begin?"


	2. Sword Blades and Moonlight

Sparks flew and danced silently to the floor like fallen phoenix feathers. Their fiery beauty blazed brightly as the clash of steel rang audibly in my ears. The elders Rei and Sao fought almost harmoniously with one another in a demonstration of true swordsmanship, and exhibited the skill we should yearn for. I watched in awe alongside my fellow students as Rei countered Sao's attempts at her shoulder almost effortlessly, but Sao remained calm and composed as she swung her blade with the vigor of a lion pouncing on a gazelle. Elder Xiu stood watch in the center of the temple as the two women strode around him, metal flashing furiously in a dance of death. No one dared speak, but instead we only watched as they jabbed gracefully at one another, each in turn. It was a magnificent sight, like fire clashing with ice, a true display of a great mastery.

At last, elder Xiu raised his hand to the sky and shouted words in ancient Ionian tongue, and the two ladies immediately halted their advances at each other. They stood glaring for a moment longer, then silently sheathed their blades and bowed gently. They then turned on their heels and marched to opposing sides of the grand hall, repeated the bow and then strode slowly and silently to stand at Xiu's sides. He spoke in a deep and rough tone, and addressed himself to all of us at once.

"As you have just witnessed, the art of the blade is not but death and pain, but also of beauty and grace. You will each learn this, in turn. Please, stand," he pleaded kindly, and we obeyed. "Now that you have all come of age, it is with great pride that I present you with your hilts. Your blades are not something that can be given. Those," he continued, as the room stood still. "You will make yourself."

At those words, the young woman next to me inhaled sharply, as if worried. Xiu took notice of this and asked in a gentle tone, while stroking his long silver beard, "Is something the matter, pupil Reyna?"

The girl I now knew to be named Reyna gazed sulkily with bright hazel eyes at the ground and kicked at a piece of dirt she had suddenly become interested in, and then answered solemnly, "My father never taught me how to hold a sword, let alone _make_ one."

Rei and Sao appeared taken aback at this response and opened their mouthes to speak, but Xiu hushed them and instead showed compassion to the young woman. This, of course, only made her even more nervous than she already visibly was. I could almost feel her sadness. She picked gently at a speck on her midnight blue robes and brushed back her long brown hair behind her with pale, cold fingers.

"It is of no concern what you have or have not been taught," said Xiu in a reassuring voice. "We are here to teach you, are we not?"

Beside him, the slightly shorter women nodded in agreement, and whispers of kind words came from every direction towards Reyna. She blushed softly at the kindness of her peers. I put a hand on her shoulder and promised to help her through it. After all, I had about as much of an idea as she did on how to craft a blade. We could learn together.

We lined up in no particular order, one by one, hilts in hand and made our way deeper into the temple. I stood near the back just in front of Reyna, who was at the tail of the line. She had a worried look about her, and misty, resentful eyes. Her hilt hung loosely from her left hand and I noticed that she must be sinistral. That's one advantage she'd have against the rest of us.

All around us, tapestries depicting great battles between dragons and warriors were imposed on long flowing parchment, as well as many other pieces of art. I took interest in one on my left, showing a woman with 3 golden circles resting above her hands. It was lacking in detail besides the Ionian symbol above her head imposed with golden leaf, but I admired it all the same. It held an air of importance.

There must have been hundreds of scrolls and pictures all around me, and each of them as beautiful as the last. Poems and fables, tales and stories of great warriors that had guarded Ionia and fought great battles for their people, scrawled in wonderful flowing script. I treasured each and every one of the beautiful works of art. I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned quickly to see Reyna, who was pointing to a gold and silver piece that hung to the right. In the background, the sun and moon were clearly visible, while in the foreground two figures, gold and silver respectively, were locked in a duel to the death. She whispered to me with a hint of admiration, a grin almost creeping onto her face, "This one is beautiful, don't you think?" I nodded in agreement, and let my gaze linger a moment longer before realizing I was trailing behind. Without a sound, I grabbed her hand and dragged her deeper into the temple, following the dying footsteps of the group.

Xiu stood in front of a small doorway, clearly sealed shut. The door was blood-red to match the rest of the temple, and had the same golden Ionian symbol of purity etched on the front. Rei and Sao stood on either side of the 9 of us and instructed us to stand in birth order. I stood second in line, behind the ponytail-haired boy from earlier that morning. He stood tall and confident. Evidently, he was from a family of high honor and held great pride. A few spots behind myself, Reyna stood fifth in line. She was nervous and it was easy to tell, but she kept a determined look on her face and a barely confident look in her narrowed eyes.

"Hello," came a hushed voice in front of me. I had been distracted by an owl pecking at its perch outside the temple window and didn't see the young man trying to catch my attention. I turned and saw the ponytail-haired boy standing in front of me looking down into my eyes.

"Oh, hello," I stammered. I did not expect anyone to notice me, and much less to speak to me; I was trying to remain inconspicuous.

"Your hilt," he said, pointing to the glimmering piece of metal that hung limp in my right hand, as he produced his own from within his shirt. "It's beautiful."

I hadn't taken the time to examine its features, each so delicately crafted by some master blacksmith I could never know. It had black lace-like carvings spiraling around the handhold, all the way up to the very top that would surely fuse with my blade. Besides the black, it was mostly silver, with thin grey bands at regular intervals. It fit perfectly in my hand, like it wasn't even there. I opened and closed my hand over it repeatedly.

"You like it too, I see," he laughed.

"I haven't had a chance to look at it yet," I replied, although he was absolutely right: I loved it.

"Well it's certainly a blessing that they trusted us with these beautiful works of art. Do you have much experience with a blade?"

"A bit, I suppose," I lied. I really wish I could tell him the truth, but I didn't want him to think I was weak.

"You don't seem the type," he stated, motioning to my robed body and finely set hair. "I never knew a woman could be beautiful and a warrior," he teased. I couldn't help the redness that was undoubtedly showing on my face.

"Oh, plea-"

"Only a compliment," he chuckled, a joking air in his deep green eyes. I thanked him internally for slightly relieving me of embarrassment.

"If you fight as well as you look, I'll be in for a good battle."

I blushed once more.

"Well I'll be sure to give it my all," I trailed off.

"Yasuo," he said proudly, at the notice that I was subtly asking his name.

" _Yasuo_ ," I finished. "My name is Syndra."

"An honest pleasure, Syndra," he smiled, as he kissed my hand. "Good luck with your sword. I'm sure it will be amazing." And with that, elder Xiu announced that it was time to enter the room behind him.

"Behind me lies a door that has not been opened since I was your age." I imagined it must have been quite some time indeed, he appeared as old as the dragons themselves. "Through these doors lie nine rooms, each one belonging to one of you. Inside the rooms, you will live until you have forged your blades. You make take as long as you deem necessary. Everything in the room is at your disposal. Use anything you can find." He looked at each of us with father-like eyes. I imagined he was remembering himself when he stood in our place. "Please enter the doors in birth order. Yasuo, you will occupy the room furthest left." Yasuo nodded and grunted in acknowledgement. "Reyna, the middle room belongs to you, and Lin," he directed his attention to a small boy at the back of the line, "The room furthest right belongs to you. The others, fill in accordingly."

Lin was rather short, but had fire in his small, stone-grey eyes. He seemed eager to begin forging his blade. No sweat was present under his short, messy black hair, and his red tunic was dry and pressed. A wide glowing grin was visible on his youthful face.

"Good luck, students. I may no longer help you until you have finished your blades." Xiu stepped aside and behind him, the two crimson doors creaked open, aided by Sao and Rei.

We each stepped inside in turn and proceeded into our rooms. Yasuo gave me one last look, winked, then shut his door. I took a breath and saw the doors shutting all around me inside the brightly sunlit circular room and decided it was time I do the same. Without a backwards glance, I put my hand on the plain, rough pine wood and shut it firmly.

Inside the room were woven bamboo walls and matching floors with a small red cot in the corner of the room to match the general decor. On the wall of my room hung my family's crest, the violets and roses bound together with spirals and swirls. Through a small door on the eastern side of the room was the forge: a large granite furnace with a solid black steel anvil, and water trough. On the stone walls hung an array of metal instruments, to be used for forging the blade that would soon be known as my sword.

I noticed a group of tables with a variety of metals, each with a sign displaying their names: iron, steel, tungsten, titanium, and silver. Above the tables that were in circular order lining the walls of the room, there was the very same Ionian crest, made of beautiful, solid gold that shone like the sun.

I needed time to think. Swiftly but carefully, I stripped off the purple kimono that was laid so gracefully over my shoulders and cast it into the corner of the room next to the cot. The note that my father had left me flitted out and fell to the floor. I snatched it up and clenched it tightly in my hands before letting it fall back down. I unbound my hair and shook it out, while I grabbed the white, freshly pressed gown that was folded on the shelf above a painting of some maple leaves. I threw it on soundlessly and strode into the forge, spinning my hilt in my fingers. I was excited, but had no idea what I was going to make.

I ran my eyes over the precious metals and brushed my fingers along their rough edges. Each held so much potential, but I took a liking to the tungsten. It was dark like the night, yet strong and firm. In a display case in the corner between the furnace and the wall sat a stone that had seven peaks and resembled a star. A small plate on the front of the case informed me that it was a fallen star. It was smooth along the many surfaces and appeared untouched. I admired it for a moment then grabbed a heap of tungsten in my hands and got to work.

The furnace was cold when I arrived. It needed a lot of coal and a lot more attention. I stayed awake twenty hours at a time for three nights until it was finally hot enough to melt the granular grey metal. My muscles ached from pumping the bellows hours on end, but it wouldn't be long until the blade was finished. Every so often I tossed in a pile of coal and imagined how the others were doing. I was sure Yasuo had nearly finished, and I hoped to the gods that Reyna was doing well on her own. There was no way to communicate with each other, so I had no way to know.

I had just finished grinding away at the final details of my blade's mould when a crash erupted from the furnace. "No," I pleaded, "No, no, no!" I ran as fast as I could to grab the mitts and lift the bucket of what tungsten remained; most of it had fallen into the roaring flames of hell that were licking at the tongs with a fiery hatred. The molten metal that was left was surely not going to be enough to make a blade.

Frantically, I scoured the room for more tungsten, but to my despair there was none to be found. I cursed under my breath at the thought of having to repeat the hours that I had already slaved to make a new metal. It was not an option.

I had nearly given up hope when the black stone that was the fallen star sparkled in the corner of my eye, bathed in the subtly glowing rays of moonlight that streamed down from above. The words of elder Xiu echoed in my head: " _Everything in the room is at your disposal_."

I mouthed the words and came to the realization that I could use the rock! I hurried over to the case and reefed on the glass to no avail; it was sealed shut. Without thinking, I grabbed the most easily accessible hammer and swung it full force into the crystal-like glass. It shattered instantly, and the space rock tumbled onto the chilled, unforgiving floor. I snatched it up and tossed it vigorously into the bucket containing the burning grey metal. After that, exhaustion overtook me and I fell limp onto the dusty stone floor, bathed in the pale silver light of the moon.

When I came to, I could see that two days had passed from the placing of the sunlight on the wall that marked the day. I realized that the metal was surely done by now, assuming the furnace had stayed alight long enough. Sure enough, when I removed the cast iron pail from the burning vault, there was a beautiful red and orange liquid swirling in the bottom. Gently, I poured the liquid into the mould and let it sit for a few hours. In that time, I caved into my hunger, having not eaten in nearly five days. There was only a small amount of dry bread and an even smaller reserve of water. I was glad that I had left it until now; it would barely tide me over.

I brushed the last of the crumbs from my soot-stained face and tossed the leather container that held the smooth, clear liquid aside. I gasped as I saw my blade: a gorgeous black and grey masterpiece, each shade overlapping the last and spiraling around each other like dancers frozen in time. It had set perfectly into the hilt, and the colors complimented each other perfectly. I dipped it in the trough and began hammering at it, desperately trying to strengthen the edges. After a few minutes, I quickly brought it to the grindstone and let the blade sharpen, its edges red hot. At last, I dipped it one last time in the clear liquid until it had cooled, and then held it to my eye.

The edge was perfectly formed, with no sign of imperfections and it seemed to encase the very moon within it. The fallen star was resting quietly, darkly in my blade and I admired the silent beauty that it was. Without a sound, I ran my fingers along the fine edge of the newly hardened metal and noticed small, velvety, dark red pinpricks flowering on my fingers.

I closed my weary eyes and smiled.


	3. Flicker in the Darkness

The lush green grass was damp under my raw, blistering hands as I sat under an old oak tree waiting for the gale to settle down. Yasuo, Reyna and I had been training for nearly 3 hours, and we were exhausted. The brilliant morning sun was barely visible, just coming over the horizon as it cast a soft golden glow across the forest where the clouds were scattered. We sat side by side, swords in the ground near us. Reyna and Yasuo were laughing at what I could only guess was a kindhearted joke towards me, given that they were both looking towards me, chuckling warmly. I smiled and looked down to examine a blade of grass. I was tired already, and the day had only just begun.

Yasuo took a sip of his drink and offered some to Reyna, who politely declined. She and I were alike in the fact that we did not drink. Yasuo, on the other hand, had certainly had his fill of mead and wine. He yawned loudly and stretched his arms wide. Reyna reddened as his rough hands came to rest near her soft ones. I smiled at the sight. They sure had taken a fondness to each other.

"So, Syndra," he said. I jumped slightly in surprise; I had been lost in thought. "How do you like your sword?"

The silent hum of the water droplets that fell relentlessly to the ground muffled his voice ever so slightly.

"I love it," I replied, running my hand along the grey crease in the center.

"Have you got a name for it?"

"A name?" I asked. Naming a sword was not something I had ever considered.

"Yes, a name. Like Sheen or Sting or Claw, to name a few.

"No, I never put any thought into it. Maybe I'll consider it."

"Don't rush it," he assured me. "I haven't named mine yet and I don't really plan to, either. I will let my blade speak for itself."

I gazed at Yasuo's sword, it's shining steel staring straight back at me. It was gorgeous. Simple, strong, and sleek. The wind and downpour had wound down, and I stood. Reyna did the same, but Yasuo remained seated, chewing on a piece of grass.

"Well, Yasuo?" Reyna questioned. "Are we going to fight?"

He laid back and chuckled. "I'd love to watch you ladies dance," he smiled, gesturing towards our swords.

"Very well," I toned in. Reyna nodded.

I grabbed a string and tied my sopping wet hair into a tightly knit bun. Reyna clenched and unclenched her sword repeatedly in her left hand, watching me as I stood still. Yasuo was on his feet, blade in hand standing in the middle of the clearing between us. He looked excited. I was nervous. Reyna seemed skilled, and I had only ever sparred against Yasuo. It would be a challenge to beat her, especially given that she was left-handed.

Gentle drops of rain were still falling, but they were much less in number. I glared at the girl who stood opposite me, and the droplets seemed to stand still in front of my eyes. She returned the look, and steadied her blade in front of her. I held mine over my shoulder, prepared to lunge. I took in a breath of the humid air and closed my eyes for a moment, visualizing what was soon to come. I did not expect her to let me win so easily, if at all.

All at once, Yasuo slashed the air and shouted, "Begin!"

Reyna did not hesitate; she dashed nimbly towards me without giving me time to react. She cried out as she brought her sword over her shoulder and connected with my blade, that I had just barely been able to raise in time. She spun around and swung again, this time towards my hip. I leaped backwards and stumbled, catching myself just before knocking into a tree. Reyna did not falter for a second, but instead kept her momentum and swung her blade full-force towards my damp face. I ducked, and her blade wedged itself into the oak that creaked loudly behind me. She smiled wickedly and her bright eyes gleamed. Swiftly, she spun around, metal in hand. This time, however, I was prepared. I swung my dark, heavy blade into hers. She recoiled as she tried to match my force, but could not. She tumbled to the cold, wet ground. Sweat ran down my face and stung my eyes, and drops of the latter were clearly visible on her soft, white face, as well. She rolled over and stood, and I took the opportunity to swing once more. I tripped over my feet and pitched forward, narrowly missing the beam of silvery steel that grazed over my nose. I caught myself and swung around again, only to repeat my fall.

"You lack balance, Syndra!" I heard Yasuo shout from the left. I had forgotten he was still there, but sure enough, there he stood, back against his sheath, drink in hand.

I turned to retort, but was met with my own two eyes reflected in Reyna's blade. I screamed and fell backwards on to the meadow floor. Reyna pointed her sword towards my chest and lunged. I threw my hands up and screamed, but no pain came to me, only a gentle poke above my stomach.

"You're dead!" she giggled playfully, as the steel dangled over my cowering body. She sheathed her weapon and backed away, echoing Yasuo's laughter. He clapped and whooped, congratulating Reyna on her victory. She beamed, and stepped towards me, offering me her hand. I took it and was surprised by the amount of strength that pulled me to my feet. She was strong for someone her size. I brushed myself off and Reyna followed suit.

"Well fought, Syndra," she said kindly, as she brushed some leaves to the ground.

"Thank you, Reyna," I smiled. "You are very skilled."

"It's natural, I guess. I've never held a blade in my life."

"I'm impressed," Yasuo toned in, taking yet another sip of his drink. "I did not expect to see you two put on such a show.

We blushed.

"We'd best start heading back; Elder Xiu will worry if we do not return by sunrise," Reyna reminded us.

"Yes, Reyna is right. Let's get moving," I agreed.

"I'm right behind you. Lead on," instructed Yasuo. Reyna trudged forward through the mucky orange and red leaves.

Reyna told us of her love for art during the hour that we walked. "I simply love it," she stated. "The colors and forms speak louder than words. Paintings are beautiful."

I remembered the golden image of the person with the spheres suspended around them. It stood out to me, although I could not explain why. I lost myself in thought for a moment before Reyna spoke up once again.

"Where is Yasuo?"

I stopped walking and looked around. Sure enough, the ponytail-haired man was nowhere to be found. Reyna sighed.

"We'd better go find him," I suggested. She nodded in agreement, so we turned and retraced our steps.

When we arrived back at the clearing, we saw Yasuo's sword laying on the ground, unsheathed and muddy. It appeared to have been tossed aside. This was very unlike him; he would never soil his blade or leave it lying around for a stranger to pick up. I strode over to where it lie on the damp earth and picked it up cautiously. Reyna watched as I carefully wiped off the steel with the sleeve of my forearm. The damp metal glistened in the morning light, and I noticed small, wind like patterns that swirled up the hilt into the blade. It was magnificent. I slung the sheath over my shoulders and looked around. I had no idea where to go, but luckily, my dark haired partner did.

Reyna spun around on her heels and wheeled quickly into the forest, chasing what seemed to be nothing. Her focus appeared locked, on what, I could not tell. I bolted after her, Yasuo's blade tight in hand. I could feel the light steel quiver gently beneath my tired fingers as we passed tree and shrubbery alike. A flock of crimson birds shot quickly into the skies as we abruptly turned the corner, and cawed loudly; they were not pleased that we disturbed them. Overhead, the clouds unleashed a fury and wind and rain, thunder clashing as we ran. The forest was rapidly more dense, and visibility was dropping quickly. The treetops shielded us from the torrent of icy water falling from above as we entered a small clearing with hills bordering it.

"We need to get out of this storm!" shouted Reyna over the howl of the wind, closely by my side.

"There's nowhere to hide! The trees don't offer enough cover," I told her, but she once again had eyes that I hadn't.

"There," she singled out at a small crevice in the rocks, large enough for us to squeeze into. "We might be able to sneak in there!"

Her voice was nearly drowned out by the watery onslaught.

We fled towards the dark opening, dripping wet and freezing cold. Reyna was the first in, and pulled me in after her. We slunk into the musky cavern and sat solemnly, breathing heavily, shivering. The room I sat in was a rather wide elliptical, extending back into the hillside with cracks lining the roof and walls. Rainwater seeped ever so slightly through the crevices and dripped to the floor, in a monotonous, steady rhythm. I observed a small, beautiful, red fox sitting near the back of the cave, its tail wrapped neatly around its slender form. The fox watched us intently for a moment, before scurrying deeper into the cavern via a small hole, much too small for any person to fit in. It didn't make a sound.

Reyna broke the silence suddenly.

"Syndra," she trailed off. I looked up from the insect I had been observing scuttling across the floor. Across the cavern, her pale, freckled face looked uneasy. She rearranged herself nervously and drew her hair behind her back, away from her forehead.

"What is it?" I inquired. I glanced around the gloomy corners of the cavern, but didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. Her nervousness was contagious, however; I was becoming uneasy. Something didn't feel right.

"Do you see them, too?" her voice came again, but this time, there was no longer a hint of worry present. Her voice sounded cold and dead, as though it wasn't Reyna speaking, but something much more sinister.

I sat upright and inhaled sharply. _Them?_ Another quick glance revealed, once again, nothing.

"No, Reyna," I said, my voice frigid with fear. We were alone, freezing and shrouded in darkness. I feared the things she spoke of. "What are you talking —"

The girl, clad in a drenched burgundy robe, stood slowly, seemingly in a trance; her eyes were locked on something in the dark depths of the cavern. Silently, she shuffled past my now standing form and slid further into the cave, eyes now wide. I reached my arm out to grab her shoulder, but I found myself unable to move my limbs. I tried to scream for her to stop, but my voice failed me. _What was going on?_

What I had initially believed to be a shallow cave revealed itself to extend much further than I had expected; Reyna had all but vanished into the depths. The fox, who had seemingly returned, sat in its hollow, eyes trained on Reyna's retreating body. Its eyes seemed to gleam as it witnessed the girl hobbling toward the passage, of which I was nearly certain she was doing unwillingly. Soon, she had completely disappeared from view, and complete silence fell. The torrent that had been berating the cavern's entrance had dissipated, and the monotonous dripping of the rainwater had ceased, as well. At that moment, I noticed a small flame appear where Reyna had vanished just moments before. It flickered gently like a candle, its fiery orange light softly illuminating the crevice, though subtly. Without realizing, I began moving towards the flame, searching for its origin. I had regained control of my body, and I took a deep breath to take in what had happened. There was something alluring about the flame. I felt as though there was no longer any cause for worry; my body felt warm, the fear had faded. I wanted to go find Reyna.

The flame grew and fell as I approached it, but did not seem to get closer. I was inching further towards it, now, past the barrier of darkness through which I had lost Reyna.

All around me, colourful eyes reflected the sweet light of the little flame. Small creatures that I could only guess to be foxes hid just out of view, perched on the cave wall within crevices and watched silently as I made my way deeper in the shadows. Dragonflies and lighting bugs buzzed around my head, and the foxes seemed to laugh at me as I walked. It was blissful, and there was no sense of worry.Upon realizing I had left my and Yasuo's swords perched up against the wall in the main grotto, I turned to fetch them, still somewhat unsure of what might lie ahead. However, when I tried to turn around, I was met with a worrying realization: I could not. I was now fully aware that I was not in control of my body, but that _something_ was, and it was bringing me deeper.

Suddenly, the flame engulfed my vision. It blazed brilliant green and blue, with tones of pink and purple. Brilliant like an aurora, its light filled the crevice. I clearly saw the foxes all around me, not only staring at me with their seemingly humored eyes, but with real human laughter emanating from their mouthes. The world around me began spinning; the cave was now as bright as if lit by the sun, and seemed to extend forever in all directions. I noticed grass and flowers that lined what was solid, rocky floor just moments ago. Their laughter was hysterical. They leaped from their hiding places in the ground and circled around me, standing on their hind legs and dancing around. Their laughter was contagious; I was grinning, too. What had, just moments ago, instilled fear in me, now brought me so much joy. I didn't want to leave anymore. I was certain that Reyna was here, and that everything would be merry. _She will be fin_ e _,_ I thought to myself.

I strode around and spun with the foxes, dancing and jumping in rhythm of the thudding that seemed to be coming from the lashing flame in the center of the clearing. The cave was gone, and now my fears were equally absent; they had faded with the wind. A sweet smell filled the air, and color spun in my eyes. Everything was beautiful, I was certain this was paradise. Above me, a clear, shimmering blue filled the sky, and there was not a cloud in sight. My vision blurred, but I paid it no thought. Everything was wonderful.

When at last I stopped spinning, the brilliant lights had faded to a more gentle glow, taking the form of torches along a striped wall. I was standing in a long hallway of what seemed to be a manor. Behind me, the looming flame, that was colorful not moments ago, now held and amber glow and drifted back and forth, blocking the way out of the hallway. Behind it, there was only a void, pitch black.

The hall was extremely wide, and the roof must have been hundreds of feet high. The hall gave me the impression of being small in a giant world. Above me hung beautiful paintings, similar to those I had seen so recently in the temple. Long, scrawled characters lined the floorboards, written in a language I could not understand. At the end of a hallway was an enormous, finely crafted desk, on which sat a quill, ink, and an impressively sized scroll. There was no where else to go, so I approached it, torchlight glistening off my skin. As I walked, the roof and walls seemed to close in all around me. The closer I came to the desk, the smaller the hall became. I glanced around, observing the artwork on the walls. It was the painting I had seen, the one that I had been unable to shake from my mind, but this time it was different. First, it wore white, and then, as I walked further, I noticed the clothing change, each wall differently. Soon, on the left side, grey and black were covering the person's body, followed by an insidious shade of glowing purple. On the other side, I observed the white turn to a gentle yellow, and then to gold and red. At the end of the hallway, the dark and light figures stood facing each other, not only in painting, but in life-size statues. The hallway, now just slightly taller than me, had come to an end. In front of me laid the scroll. Slowly, carefully, I unrolled the parchment, its fibers scratching gently against my fingernails. As I glanced into the blinding whiteness of the paper, I faltered. It gave off a blinding glow. When I opened my eyes, I was no longer standing in front of the wooden desk.

I blinked a number of times, trying to clear my eyes of the spots left by the light, unsuccessfully. When I eventually came to, I was standing on a large stone pillar. Ancient, cracked clay bricks lined the floor. Below the pillar, forest surrounded me. When I was at last able to see clearly again, I noticed a figure standing in the middle of the pillar. It wore the same outfit that the golden statue had been wearing just moments ago. It was facing away from me, standing perfectly still. I tried to approach it, but once again, my body refused to move. I heard it laugh a crazy, wicked laugh. A storm began brewing as the wind began to spiral around it. Dust was picking up and visibility was dropping. The clouds that had just appeared unleashed a flood of rain upon the earth below, immediately clearing the dust that had picked up. In the center of the pillar, the figure had been encased in a dark sphere of energy, lighting clashing all around it. My ears rang as the bolts struck again and again.

After what felt like an eternity, the energy in the middle dissipated and the dark, black and purple figure floated, suspended in midair, with dark balls of energy orbiting it. I saw its long, white hair flowing all around it, as the wind continued its onslaught. The dark figure laughed, but this time, evil was clearly audible in its tone. The figure's voice echoed through the treetops and stung at my ears. I recoiled at the tone of it, covering my ears with my now shredded white sleeves. All at once, it spun its body around and faced me.

"Come to me, girl," echoed the voice softly. I could not answer. My body was frozen in terror. "I said," it continued, in a voice much more commanding, _"Come!"_

My head felt like it would split at any moment. The figured pulled me with an incredible, invisible force towards it. I screamed in agony, before coming to rest on my knees before it. Tears stung in my eyes as I looked up to see what I could now tell was a female, with flowing white hair and pale skin. Atop her head, she wore a black crown with tines spreading into the sky. Her eyes were closed.

"Tell me, _child,_ " she hissed as she addressed me, "What is it that you fear?"

"I —" I was unable to answer. I winced as her grip tightened around me. With a half-clenched fist, she motioned upwards, and suddenly my body was lifted off the ground. I came to rest just inches from her face, my head floating slightly lower than her's; I had to look up to her. She laughed again, and images of my family and friends filled my mind, all of them, slaughtered. Around me, I could see their bodies littering the ground above which I floated. My mind wanted to split, and my body ached as though a million white-hot knives were being stabbed into me at once. I cried out again in anguish. The figure held me motionless and I lost my breath. She breathed out and the storm lashed once more. Suddenly, she opened her eyes and met my gaze. A horrible, evil purple light filled my vision as she spat, _"Pathetic."_

One final flash of light, and everything was over.

My eyes opened in an instant as panic consumed me. _Am I finally awake? What the hell happened?_ My eyes jolted around the room that I was now resting in, a circular one no bigger than my own living quarters in my home. I was sat in a corner, my body barely illuminated by a small lantern that sat on the floor. On the other side of the room, I saw Reyna and Yasuo sitting across from each other, clearly unconscious, stripped of most of their clothing. Our weapons were sat adjacent to me, propped up in the far corner. I tried to stand but found that my hands and feet were bound to the walls and floor by tight rope. Frantically, I pulled at the ropes with all my strength, but my body stung as though I was still in the dream; there was no hope of escaping.

At that moment, a small fox, just like the ones I had seen hours before, came into view, however, this one was all white. It had entered through a circular hole in the wall that must have been the door. Heavier footsteps followed closely behind it. A man entered the room, his back torn up by what I could only fathom to be claws. His arms and legs had also fallen victim, as was evident by the blood that dripped from the gashes. He strode across the room without making a sound, and collapsed onto the floor. Silence fell once more. I turned my head to see where the fox had gone, as was met with my own reflection in a pair of glossy blue eyes, much like my own. I recoiled as the fox-like face came nose to nose with me, except that the face was not an animal's.

The young girl, no older than myself, looked at me intently with a cat-like, bloodthirsty grin on her face. "Oh, good," she smirked seductively, "You're awake."


	4. Kitsune

Cold sweat ran down my brow as I sat on the frigid rocky floor, dripping off my nose as I stared into the cold darkness. The dream I had only just awoken from had truly taken a toll on me mentally and physically, but I was certain that it was over for now. I was waiting for the fox-girl to return; she had skipped merrily out of the room after instructing me to hold still, while flaying her jet black hair behind her. Between myself and Yasuo — who was still unconscious — laid the shredded man who had hobbled in just moments before and collapsed. I could have sworn he was dead, but my suspicions were falsified when I noticed him stirring.

He turned his head over with a light thud and glanced around at us, his breath slow and staggered. He hoisted himself up on his arms and crawled to this wall just a few meters away as he grunted in pain. The man sat back and ran his fingers through his long, sweat-drenched, curly brown hair. His body appeared rather strong, and he stood tall, as was evident despite his hunched back. He must have been no older than thirty, judging by his complexion, and appeared to be from a western land, not of Ionia.

"What brings ye 'ere?" posed the man, his voice grizzly and weathered.

"Your guess is as good as mine," I sighed quietly. "Last thing I remember, I was sitting in a cave with her," I gestured towards Reyna's slouched body in the opposite corner, with a nod of my head. "Now, I'm bound up here."

"Ye as well?" he asked, a hint of despair in his voice. He sounded almost surprised.

"What do you mean?"

"It's the cave, I swear," he said, sighing. I tilted my head in question. "When the crew and I were caught in a storm that forced our ship to shore, we got out to search fer someone to 'elp us. After hours of searchin', some crewmates found a cave for us to rest in.

"We sat, drank and laughed while we waited fer the storm to blow over — but she didn't. The rain kept pourin', and water was risin' all around. Luckily, it was on 'igher ground, so the water didn't flood in — but she put a damper on our spirits.

"Not long after we got settled in fer the night, the men started going delirious. One by one, they insisted they saw somethin' deeper inside the cave, and one by one, they got up and 'eaded deeper. There was nothin' any of us could do to stop 'em; our strength was gone and we watched 'em slip outta sight. Ye could 'ear 'em laughin' and screamin' inside, but we 'ad no idea what was in there. Eventually, we'd all gone in. That was the last I ever saw of that cave."

I went to adjust myself to regain my comfort, but was cruelly reminded by the rough rope that held together my arms that I could not. I looked at the man, whose eyes were sorrowful. They reflected the light of the lamp ever so slightly, and brought focus to his furrowed brow. Even though he appeared in so much pain, he managed to remain composed.

"What's yer name, girl?" he asked me, as he let his head slide back to rest against the solid wall behind him.

"Syndra," I told him, a hint of pride in my voice.

"Odd name," he chuckled, before breaking into a cough. When he recovered, he produced a bottle of water that had been lying at his side that I had not seen. He took a large swig before tossing it carelessly over to me. It landed near my feet, and I lurched forward in an attempt to catch it, forgetting once again that movement was impossible; my arms strained as I pulled on them. He chuckled again as he noticed the longing expression on my dirty face.

"Sorry, lass, I'm a li'l out of it. This place really gets to ye." At that moment, the agonized cry of a man, followed by the loud thud of a body hitting the floor was heard from the next room, and the girl's cynical laughter resonated loudly in my ears. The sailor shook his head.

"Not many of us left now —" he spoke, distain in his voice. "Ye can call me Jerren."

"Very well, Jerren," I said in my most composed voice. I was fighting back tears; the bindings were bearing into my skin, and I had just heard what I thought to be a man dying. "What happened to the rest?" I asked, somewhat distraught. I fought against my quivering chin as I tried to remain calm.

" _She_ happened. Ye know what she is, dontcha? _Kitsune_ , they call 'em. Nine-tailed foxes, the ones from the legends. Nasty creatures, I tell ye. Beauties, though, they are," he spat on the ground as he trailed off — his mind had wandered elsewhere. I cleared my throat and he snapped out of it. Grunting and clutching at his side as he readjusted himself, he apologized.

"She eats the life from men. It's what she does to survive. Me crew had 8 men when we are arrived, now, we're down to just three — er, two," his voice was grim as he continued, glancing over at the entrance. He shook his head in dismay.

"She eats the _life_ from them?" I said, shocked.

"That's right. She lures men 'ere, 'as 'er way with 'em, then kills 'em. Don't know what you two are doing 'ere, though. She's got no use for ye," he said, inclining his head in Reyna's general direction. His expression dropped as a shadow appeared in the doorway.

"Wrong!" giggled the girl, who stood in the entryway, leaning against her arm. She strode forward and glared at me, lips pursed, then stuck her tongue out briefly. _For a man-eating fox-demon, she acts quite childish,_ I noted. "You'll be just as fun! You're _special_."

She strode over and sat on Jerren's lap. He clenched his jaw tightly as she dug her red-painted fingernails — more like claws — into his bare legs. Under her red and white skirt, with flowery patterns running up the hemming, she crossed her slender legs.

"He's _such_ a good boy, isn't he?" she inquired rhetorically. "Not even tied up and he sits nice and still."

Jerren growled something under his breath, and the girl spun around and grabbed him gently under his rough-shaven chin.

"Say something?" she smiled demonically.

"Nuthin', Ahri."

She slapped him.

" _Idiot!"_ she screamed at him, standing abruptly. "You told the stupid girl my name," she raged, as she gestured accusingly toward me with her index. Jerren shrugged with what strength he could muster, the kitsune huffed angrily.

Yasuo stirred at the sound of her shrill screech. He wiped away the groggy expression from his tired eyes and glanced around the room, blinking. Ahri was too distracted with Jerren to notice him, and I took the opportunity to mouth at him to be quiet. He squinted as he attempted to make out my words and, understanding my intentions, nodded while closing his eyes to feign sleep.

The kitsune hopped joyously over to where I was rested, and knelt down to come eye-to-eye with me.

"Are _you_ any good at following instructions?" she asked condescendingly. I let out a meek sound in agreement, hoping for the best. I didn't know what to say; she had an air of nonchalance about her and didn't seem to be the listening type.

"Good," she grinned widely. Behind her, her tail fluttered around her body as she ran her hands through the puffy white fur. "Tell me, then, which one of you two are... _stronger_?" Her cat-like ears bent as she asked me, her tail motioning towards the still unconscious Reyna. She smirked slyly.

"Her," I sighed, begrudgingly.

"Is that so? Interesting," Ahri stated. In the far corner, I noticed Reyna take a sharp breath; she must have awoken. The kitsune's ears turned in her direction at the sound of Reyna tossing and turning as she came to. Ahri giggled. "Sounds like she's awake! Just in time, too."

Jerren groaned as a young boy, much younger than myself, clad in sailors' attire, entered the room. He appeared completely unscathed, and held a glass of milk in his hand. He strode over to the table and, upon draining the glass in one gulp, slammed it down, shaking crude wooden legs. He produced a small vial from within his trousers and poured a drop onto the small, flickering flame. Instantly, it ignited bright blue. The room lit up brightly, and everyone became clearly visible. There was a cold tinge to the room's lighting, and long shadows were cast all around.

Ahri stood still as she watched him walk over and draw up a sword from the corner — Yasuo's. At the sound of the metal being slid out of its sheath, Yasuo winced. He knew it was his blade.

"And just what is your name?" the boy asked Reyna's limp body boredly. "I know you're awake," he said, at the absence of a response. _"What —"_ he said firmly, as he slashed the ropes tethering her to the ground, "— Is your name?"

At the sensation of her bindings breaking free, Reyna flexed her shoulder blades and opened her eyes. She stood up and stretched while the sailor kept Yasuo's blade trained on her. Her barely-clothed body was rather toned; her biceps and abdomen subtly defined. She stood slightly taller than the boy, who has no trouble looking her in the eyes as she stood. She looked around and shook out her hair, expressing an air of confusion as to what was going on.

"Reyna," said she, hesitantly. She inched away from the wall towards the boy, who had ever so slightly lowered the steel.

"Well pick up your blade, Reyna. You'd better hope you can stand your ground, because I'm not playing," he paused and glanced over at the kitsune lovingly, as she toyed with her long braid, before finishing. "Ahri wants some... _Entertainment_."

Reyna drew up her blade from against the wall and unsheathed it, the scraping of metal pleasurable in my ears. She set her sheath back in the corner with a slight clatter, and walked adjacent the boy, just in front of Jerren. The latter coughed loudly and shouted with his scruffy voice at the sailor, "What are ye doin', boy? Snap out of it!"

"Shut up, Jerren. You wouldn't stand a chance, either."

"That _whor_ e 'as 'er spell on ye! Put down yer blade, Kano!"

Ahri laughed, echoing the laughter coming from Kano. The kitsune took a seat in the table and crossed her legs, as the young boy lunged at Reyna, who hadn't been paying full attention. Yasuo remained motionless beside Jerren as Reyna dodged the initial strike.

As good as Reyna appeared to me, she was no match for the young man she was now facing off against. To me, she had talent, but it paled in comparison to a real opponent. She pranced around, narrowly avoiding the slashes of Yasuo's blade, occasionally parrying with her own blade. She spun around and swung her blade full force into his, but instead of countering his blow, Reyna's blade was knocked clean out of her hands. The cry of metal was audible in the room as it clattered to the ground and landed near Jerren, who drew the sword himself. He growled in angst as he stood, muscles pumping from adrenaline, my partner's blade in hand. The sailor stood nearly twice the boy's height, and was much broader.

"Aye, suit yerself, Kano. I'll teach ye to respect yer cap'n."

Kano steadied himself as Ahri clapped lightly from behind Jerren, a broad, white grin on her face. The boy spun the sword in his hand and the burly, broken man clutched the leather of Reyna's tightly.

A battlecry from Jerren, and they were off. Blue light flashed off the blades into my eyes, forcing me to squint. I noticed Yasuo observing the two fighting, his eyes just barely open. Kano was skilled, but what Jerren lacked in skill and speed, he made up for in raw power. Kano was striking rapidly with Yasuo's light blade, his blond, curly hair nearly obstructing his vision. His opponent was no amateur and blocked every strike with ease. Ahri watched intently as the two clashed ferociously.

The young sailor spun around to bring his sword down on Jerren, but was quickly met with Reyna's blade in his side. Screaming in agony, he tumbled to the floor as glossy crimson splattered the wall behind him, just beside Yasuo. Kano rolled and attempted to stand, but lurched to the side, nearly knocking into the cowering Reyna, away from whom everyone had diverted their focus.

Reyna seized the opportunity to grab my sword and promptly slashed the ropes that held my feet together, slightly grazing my ankles. I turned away from her to allow her to sever the knots behind my back. Ahri was paying us no mind; she was cheering as Jerren closed in on the wounded Kano. I broke free but stayed put so as to not draw attention to myself just yet. Opposite us, Yasuo became unsettled after noticing he was the only one still bound.

Ahri screeched in glee as Jerren brought his blade over his head and prepared to deal the final blow. Kano cowered on the ground, tears visible in his young eyes, Yasuo's blade just out of reach.

"I'm sorry, boy," said Jerren, with a surprising level of calmness. A single tear rolled down his cheek as the man brought the heavy weapon down to the ground in an enormous display of sheer force. I shielded my eyes and turned away, but I knew from the deafening silence following the resonating impact that it was all over.

Ahri moaned gleefully as she clapped and cheered. Jerren picked up the fallen boy's weapon and tossed it unceremoniously to its owner. He strode by and cut the rope from Yasuo's limbs as well, and Ahri made no effort to intervene. Slowly, with death in his eyes, the blood-stained man turned around to face the kitsune who sat joyously on the table, Reyna's blade in his hand. Reyna handed me my blade and I held it tighter than anything in my life. Yasuo stood too, and backed away from Jerren who was now approaching the fox-girl, taking care not to step on Kano's bloody corpse.

"You _bitch,_ "he said, wielding the blade beside his body. His footfalls echoed through the white silence of the cavern as he approached the enthused girl, who showed no signs of fear. She returned his hate-filled glare with a pearly-white smile as he clutched at his wounds, subtly bearing her canine fangs. "Yer charm won't work on me this time. It's time ye met yer end."

With that, Jerren raised the silvery-white blade above his head and brought it down it a large, sweeping arc, narrowly missing Ahri and knocking the lantern clear off the table and onto the stone of the ground. The flame extinguished, she let out a cry of rage as visibility dropped to zero. Jerren commanded us to follow his voice and bolted from the room, loud thuds resonated as his heavy form shot off. Yasuo was on his tail with Reyna in hand, and I was trailing by a thread.

As we cleared the doorway, Yasuo stumbled over the corpse of the man that had fallen prey to the kitsune not long ago. The young swordsman nearly toppled to the ground, but was saved narrowly by the girl he clung so tightly to, who had a vice grip on his wrist. I took the lead just behind the sailor and pulled the other two along with me, weaving nimbly through the dark, narrow passageway. Behind us, more blue flames ignited, this time, surrounding Ahri as she sprinted quickly behind us through the winding crevice we now found ourselves in. Her feet made not a sound, as the long red ribbons that were wrapped so neatly around torso flowed like waves behind her. Her eyes were locked on us as she pranced faster and faster towards us. Yasuo, now in the rear, made every attempt to fend her off, resorting to hurling stones and other debris at her, to no avail. She was gaining on us fast, and there was no exit in sight.

At that moment, Jerren grabbed my arm and swung me up with great strength, setting me on a ledge too high for me to reach on my own, that I had not seen. He grunted in pain as his body strained to fight and keep from succumbing to his wounds. Behind me, Reyna and Yasuo were clambering up the steep incline that I was atop. I extended a hand to assist them as Jerren shoved their feet. Ahri was gaining on us at an alarming rate, and tossed her fire at me as I attempted to pull Reyna over the edge. Yasuo was brought quickly over by the two of us, and Jerren was right behind. Though he was heavy, we managed to heave him up as Ahri's fire exploded beside us. He pointed towards the exit which was now in clear sight. We must have been in the cave a long time as was apparent by the starry sky that graced the horizon through the familiar entrance. We shot past the holes in which the foxes had hid earlier and flew out the rocky maw, down the hillside.

Behind us, explosions rang as the kitsune's electric-blue inferno lit up the night. She exited the cavern with a mighty leap and soared through the air, landing softly on ground, her body poised to attack. She landed behind us, blocking our escape. Pure loathing in her eyes, she stared down Jerren who was now heaving in pain. He was fit, but the physical toll Ahri had taken on him was too great; he could barely stand.

"Get back," he ordered us.

Yasuo drew his blade and shoved the sailor aside, who promptly grabbed Yasuo and shielded him as Ahri's flames blasted the large man, causing him to let out a roar of agony. I felt the heat from where I was standing, a fair distance away. Jerren swung Reyna's blade towards the fox-girl who evaded the swipe nimbly. She threw fire again, as I cried for Jerren to run. Again, Jerren swung the blade around as he pitched toward her, but was avoided with ease. Another blast and Jerren fell to his knees, body red and raw from the intense burns he had sustained. He tried to stand as Reyna and I attempted, barely successfully, to restrain Yasuo, who was still fighting to come to his aid. Ahri let out a maniacal, composed laughter as she fanned out all of her nine tails, of which preciously only one was evident. As her eyes glowed brightly, she dashed around the felled Jerren, pelting him with magical blasts. I screamed as my ears rang, begging Jerren to hold on to life.

" _You..._ You made me kill my own son!" he cried, in a voice barely his own. Ahri stood still now as Jerren rose slowly, glaring at her with the eyes of a man who had nothing left to lose. He drew the blade one last time as he limped towards her, the blood, sheen on his skin. He swung the blade again and again, to no avail, his strength and speed failed him. In desperation, he raised the blade high above his head and prepared to bring it down upon Ahri, but before he could, she made her move. In a flash of speed, she drew a pulsing blue ball of energy from thin air in one swift motion and jumped towards Jerren, sending the ball of energy clean through him. It left no visible wound on his already raw flesh, but knocked his body backwards with a brilliant pulse. As he looked into the sky one final time, Ahri, with a triumphant smirk on her face, drew her hand, and thus the sphere, back towards her, passing through Jerren one final time as the man's body crashed to the forest floor, sword still in hand.

I let out a scream, echoed by Reyna just next to me as Yasuo burst from our grip and blitzed towards the killer, moving extremely agilely. Using the wind itself, he deflected the kitsune's bolts of energy that were fired towards him as she leaped clear of his blade, and dodged his volley of slashes. Yasuo spun around the flames, narrowly grazing the blue death that could surely be his own. As he was closing in on the demon, she spun around and unleashed another pulse of energy, knocking him back a significant distance and off his feet. Reyna fought to hold me back as I tried desperately to help him, my own blade held tight in hand. Ahri was closing in on Yasuo, energy sphere in hand once again; I feared this could be his end. In a last ditch effort, I spun my wrist out of Reyna's, forcing me to relinquish my grip on my blade. There was no time to collect it; I burst off at full speed towards Yasuo, my feet leaving the ground as I threw myself in front of him. As I stretched out my arm to protect myself from certain death, a torrent of light erupted from my fingertips, knocking the sphere and the kitsune into a nearby fir, causing her to scream in anguish. The dark-haired girl who had been restraining me met my gaze, eyes wide as she marveled at what had just occurred.

Yasuo and I should be dead, but were not — yet. Ahri took another dash at us, screaming as she lunged, but this time it was Reyna who came to the rescue. Wielding the black blade that was my own, she slashed the kitsune in the thigh, causing her to collapse to the ground, writhing in pain, as blood poured from the deep gash. Yasuo had recovered and had immediately helped me off the ground. We approached the cowering form on the ground below my blade, as Reyna stood, ready to deliver the final blow — but she hesitated. Ahri laughed.

"Didn't I tell you that you were special?"

A flash of blue light blinded me, and when I recovered, Ahri was gone, leaving us standing in the clearing, Jerren's cold and lifeless body lying in the center. I sprinted over to where he laid, knelt down and clasped his large, rough hand in my small, soft one. Reyna and Yasuo watching me from a distance, I gently laid my head on his chest, his blood reddening my white hair as I rested upon him. I knew Jerren had paid the ultimate price to save us.

"Thank you, Jerren," I whispered, tears stinging in my eyes.

I broke into tears, and wept for what felt like an eternity.


	5. Balance

**A/N : Hey everyone! I would like to apologize for my hiatus - this week has been extremely hectic for me since I had my midterm examinations, and haven't been able to focus much on writing. That, combined with a less-than-healthy case of writer's block has made this chapter a bit delayed. The good news is, exams are over now, and I have plenty of new ideas fresh in my mind! I hope you're all excited to see what's in store, as we dive together further into Syndra's tale.**

 **If you'd like to submit any corrections, I would greatly appreciate it! I want to make this story the best it can be. That said, please, leave a review! Positive, negative, anything is appreciated. If there's anything you'd like to say, feel free to drop a review or send me a private message, I don't bite! I appreciate you taking the time to read my story - it means the world to me!**

 **Warm wishes,**

 **Ren**

This note will be removed upon the publishing of the next chapter.

* * *

The sparrows were singing a warming evening song, the dying light of the sun glistened gently on my bare shoulders as I trudged numbly in Yasuo's wake as we made our way through the forest. We had been wandering for nearly a full day, and the darkness of twilight was about to entomb us once more. Reyna's eyes fluttered gently as sleepiness nearly overtook her, but she held fast to my hand as we marched on, blades clanging against the rags that were wrapped around our bodies. The firmament was peering out from the darkness, its twinkling light dancing in the skies, kissing the beautiful aurora that the sun had left in its wake. Its magical green and pink shone softly in the atmosphere, bringing a warming glow to my devastated heart.

No one had said a word since we had left Jerren's body. I did not deserve to know a man so honorable, who would give his life to save a stranger's. I had not even the opportunity to say good bye before his kind and loving character was snatched away, gone with the drizzling rain. There were no clouds in the sky on this serene night, no wind on the horizon, only the haunting hum of the birds to keep us going. My legs had long since gone numb to the pain, and nothing could match the ache I felt in my chest, the hollow void that was left by the presence of death; the cruel mistress had taken what innocence I had left.

Rhythmically, our footfalls came softly as we made our way over hilltops, around greenery and under the dark shelter of the reddening leaves of autumn. The night had all but taken away the hope I had of returning to my own bed, before I heard a noise growing to my left. Yasuo had not noticed, and Reyna was certainly too tired to, as well. Perhaps it was by chance that I turned in time to see Yun bolt out of a bush and trample me under his shaggy paws, his fierce eyes wide with joy at seeing me after so many days. He panted as he licked my face clean of dirt and blood, as Yasuo spun around, fully aware that a wolf had just attacked me. Before he could draw his weapon, I motioned with my hand for him to stand down. Reyna had staggered backwards as my grip had relinquished under the force of the beast that had tackled me. I was happy to see him; he brought feeble warmth to my frozen heart.

The bush from which he had shot out rustled as a short, shadowy figure materialized from the darkness. He wore a dark jacket and leggings, his two blades held firmly in hand as he emerged into plain sight. A hood shrouded his face, but he lifted it quickly as he sheathed his blades, noting Yasuo's defensive air. Below the veil of shadows, his two grey eyes became visible, as I realized who it was.

"Lin!" I exclaimed, unable to move under Yun's weight. Yasuo sheathed his own blade in turn as Lin chuckled to himself.

"You haven't told me your name," his voice was strong and clear, despite his smaller size. "There is a search party out for you. Where have you three been?" he asked, concern eclipsed by curiosity. I gently shoved Yun aside as I attempted to stand in order to reply, but was interrupted by Yasuo.

"We were caught in a storm. We had to take shelter for a few days. It wasn't safe for us to move in the weather, and when it settled, we were lost." He took care not to mention our close encounter with death.

"Storm?" clarified Lin. "Ionia has had clear skies for weeks."

Yasuo glanced around nervously, looking for us to support his claim.

"He's telling the truth: the storm was incredible. There was no way to know where we were going. It was nearly flooding," vouched Reyna; I nodded in agreement.

Lin shrugged. Without saying another word, he motioned for us to follow in his wake, as Yun took the helm of the group, leading us back to the temple. We formed up, taking care that Yasuo was once again in front of us, and crept silently behind him, our footsteps falling away as the haunting hoot of owls filled the night.

Lin had been examining his blades as he walked, looking closely over the two hilts he held, one in each hand. Yasuo had taken notice to the fact that he held two blades — nearly identical — and had clearly became very curious.

"Lin, weren't you given one hilt to make your sword?"

He grunted in agreement. He wasn't very talkative. "I was."

"Then why is it that you have two blades?"

Lin's advance halted abruptly as Yasuo's words echoed on the tree trunks. Even the white canine turned to stare at the short boy who led us as we awaited his response.

"It was a gift," he said, curtly, his tone like ice. He marched forward.

Yasuo scoffed under his breath, but nodded. It was clear that Lin wouldn't discuss it, and so he followed the boy forward. Lin sheathed his blades once more as he took a strong stride forward behind Yun, and not another word was spoken until dawn.

* * *

I dodged blow after blow as Reyna's soft hands jabbed at my body. Elder Xiu had instructed us to practice our hand-to-hand combat, as it was critical discipline in developing our swordsmanship. A group of the graduate students from a few years prior had been invited to join us, and were to help us practice our technique, demonstrating their own and correcting ours.

"What was that the other day? That... flash?" Reyna asked as she swung a left over the loose bun atop my head. I ducked defensively and returned her attack with two blows to either hand. She blocked them and mirrored my shots.

"I don't know. I just reacted, and _that_ happened. I wish I could explain it."

Two shots over my head and one to my side; I dodged sideways and spun to kick, she evaded sideways.

"Well _whatever_ it was, it saved us. How did it feel?"

 _How did it feel? How_ did _it feel?_

"It was as though I had all the strength in the world at my fingertips... But I've never felt that before."

I raised my hands and braced as her ghostly knuckles collided with my palms. From a distance, an older red-robed girl with black hair observed. I ignored her raised eyebrows and ducked in time to evade another swipe from my opponent. Reyna narrowed her eyes as she took a step back and glared at me.

"You've never known about this? That was magic. No one has had power like that in a very long time in Ionia. Does anyone else know?"

"No. Reyna, I don't know what they would do if I told them," I shook out my arms and stretched them briefly, reaching across my body to stretch my shoulderblades. "No one else knows," I clarified, "Only you and Yasuo —"

"— And it is best you keep it that way," came the latter's voice from behind me. He gave a gentle nudge with his fist as he gestured behind him, where an older boy was approaching. I nodded subtly as Yasuo introduced us: "This is Yone. He is my brother, and teacher. Everything I know, I owe to him."

Yone, who stood just taller than his younger brother, laughed, the same hearty laugh as his sibling. His hair was long, and swayed as he tilted his head backwards. "I wouldn't say that, little brother," his voice held a joking tone as he put his hand firmly on Yasuo's shoulders, who dismissed him with a shrug.

"This is Reyna." The white robed girl, who wore one identical to mine, inclined her head and bowed gently as a form of respect. Yone returned the gesture. Yasuo pointed to me in turn, "This is Syndra." I followed suit, and Yone repeated the gesture.

"It is a pleasure to meet you both. My brother has told me so much about you," his green eyes, identical to the shorter young man who stood next to him, darted from Reyna to meet my own, as a white smile bloomed on his face. "Please," he continued, "Do not let me interrupt your training."

Reyna shook her brown hair out as she smiled, and held her arms up in a fighting stance. I mirrored her as she lunged at me. Fluidly, I spun my body away from her arm, and came around with a punch that was caught in her palm. Two shots of her own to my palms before she sent another over my head. Yone smiled as he watched me struggle to keep up with Reyna's speed. We traded back and forth for a short time before Yasuo invited us to take a break. Soon, Elder Xiu invited us to gather around the center mat of the temple. Lin stood across from me, looking intent, while Reyna, Yasuo and Yone were at my side.

"Students, I would like to show you what true mastery resembles. To do so, I would like to invite Yone," the eager whispering of a few younger girls came from beside me as Yone made his way next to Xiu, "And his brother, Yasuo, to join me." More excited whispers came, as the other students watched eagerly.

They made their way to either side of the mat as the white-robed students spread out, allowing them more room. Yasuo shed his own, revealing a strong body underneath, with baggy leg wraps, and Yone did the same, shedding his red one, revealing a body comparable to his younger brothers, albeit rather more defined. We grew silent as Elder Xiu, accompanied by Rei and Sao, prepared the boys to fight.

They stood at fifteen paces, ready to approach one another. On Xiu's command, they did so and faced off, circling each other, watching closely as either waited for the other to engage. Yone was the first to move; he leaped and swung a strong kick, flying down in Yasuo's direction. Nimbly stepping aside from the strike, Yasuo countered with a strong arc of his right forearm towards Yone's torso. The latter made no attempt to avoid it, and instead countered it with his own arm, the thud of flesh on flesh echoed throughout the silent room.

As they paced around each other, each striking in turn, a hand gripped at my shoulder, and in my peripheral vision, I was able to notice the black-haired girl who now stood next to me.

"Watch the way Yone strides. Do you notice his balance?" she implored.

I nodded. Her observation was accurate; Yone strode swiftly and harmoniously even in the most sudden of movements, keeping his body in perfect balance.

"Do you focus on your balance?" she asked.

"I do," I said, a shallow lie in my words, "but I haven't been worried about it lately."

"I can tell," she scoffed. I grimaced and she released my shoulder. "Your balance is lacking, you know."

Somewhat snidely, I shot back, "Thanks for the help."

"You're welcome," she said sincerely, though the disdain in my voice was evident, and I was certain she had noticed. In the background, another thud came as Yasuo struck Yone in the lower jaw. "I am here to help you, after all."

 _I have balance. She's being picky._

I disregarded her comment and turned my focus back to the fight, where Yone had just caught Yasuo's fist. Yasuo winced as his brother twisted his wrist and put it between his shoulder blades, forcing him into submission. He fell to his knees at Yone's feet as Elder Xiu applauded. The rest of the students followed in applause as Yasuo was helped to his feet, Yone guffawing as his little brother sulked.

"Very well done, indeed!" Elder Xiu announced as the applause died down. The brothers bowed and returned to the sidelines as the next challenger made her way into the center: the black-haired girl.

"The time has come —" said Elder Rei, "— for the women to fight," finished Elder Sao.

"Who would like to face the lovely Miss Irelia?" posed Elder Xiu, glancing to the younger girls. As he rose his finger to select one of the girls across from me, I stepped forward.

"I'll do it." Irelia grinned subtly as she saw me approach.

"Good choice," she whispered under her breath, as Xiu expressed his pride regarding my volunteering.

I stood in front of Lin, directly in face of Irelia. She had a serious expression on her face as she unwound the red fabric that surrounded her body and cast it aside. I shed my white robe, revealing tight cream wraps — identical to hers — underneath; our training gear.

Gritting my teeth, fists clenched but determined, I bowed as we prepared to face off. Elder Xiu shouted to begin and I took off with three quick strides. Leaping towards her, I aimed my fist for her torso as she stood still. Sure enough, as I was nearly in contact with her, she evaded, barely making an effort. I spun around and kicked, but once again she avoided it. I unleashed a flurry of punches was met with no resistance from her; she simply stepped out of the way. I lunged and swung, each time to no avail. She was striding gracefully across the floor, dancing almost, as I attempted to strike her down. She hadn't sent a single punch at me but I was already feeling my strength dwindle.

Suddenly, she turned and sent a blow into my abdomen, knocking me backwards, but not off my feet. I regained my composure instantly and locked eyes with her. Where my strained gaze met hers, I saw a smile lingering on her mouth. She came at me again, this time with blinding speed. She dashed to the left, to the right, and struck me twice in shoulders. Spinning, she sent a kick towards my feet in an effort to knock me down. I leaped to dodge the incoming swipe, but as my feet met the bamboo floor once more, I stumbled. I noticed the glint in her eyes, and knew what she thought.

"Balance," she said firmly as she spun again, this time aiming for my head.

Ignoring the crowd of onlookers, I shouted back, "I have balance!"

I narrowly avoided the heel that whizzed over my head as I stumbled again, trying to move too quickly.

"You're stumbling. _Balance!"_ she repeated.

She punched at my sides as I dashed sideways, narrowly avoiding the strikes. I threw a swing towards her head but pitched forward as she dodged. Turning around, I jumped and kicked at her head, but once again missed my mark. She sent a flurry of strikes at my chest and I blocked them, her fists striking repeatedly at my palms. Behind the storm of punches coming my way, I gritted my teeth as I repeated, "I... _Have_... Balance!"

I swung her forearm to the side as my fist, with every ounce of strength I could muster, followed through to strike her in the chest. As it flew, the same golden-white light ignited in my fists, and sent her flying on contact. She cried in agony as she was sent flying backwards by the golden shockwave. The roar of the explosion shook the temple, and people all around shielded their eyes from the pulse of bright energy. Irelia crashed into a group of younger girls who had been standing near me earlier, and screamed.

Elder Xiu drew his blade in a flash of silver and leaped, despite his old age, powerfully in front of the girls' collapsed forms. Lin stared in terrified awe, along with the rest of the students. Yone rushed to the aid of Irelia as Reyna held back Yasuo.

"What was that?" Elder Xiu shouted at me. "I demand an answer!"

"I — I don't know," I replied, as calmly as humanly possible.

"Explain yourself!"

"I can't!" I pleaded, backing towards the arches of the entrance.

Elder Xiu made an advance towards me in an effort to prevent retreat, but Lin spoke from behind him, "I wouldn't try to stop her."

Xiu spun around and the outburst, clearly taken aback by Lin's lack of respect. His back was turned to me.

"Do not lecture me, Lin. I will not tolerate your disrespect in my temple."

Lin nodded at me and I took my queue: I spun on my heels and bolted from the temple, drawing up my robe swiftly on the way out. Lin argued a moment longer with Xiu in an attempt to allow me to escape. The Elder commanded the others to grab me, but they were too late; I was down the steps and on my way into the forest, as the quickly setting sun of autumn held twilight on the golden platter that was the horizon.

Knowing full well there would be no easy return, I closed my eyes and fled as far as I could. I knew not where I was going, but I didn't care, it didn't matter. Self-reflection washed over me like the tide of the seas.

 _Am I a monster? I don't know my own power! I can't control it. This gift... why me?  
_

My thoughts were drowned out by the monotonous chatter of crickets as my dread overtook me. They will hunt me down, I knew they will. I needed to get as far away as I could. There is no more question.

My life would never be the same.


	6. Shadows of the Past

**_A/N:_**

 **Hey everyone! Great news - I'm not dead! It's been a long time since I've posted anything, and for that, I'd like to apologize. In an attempt to make up for it, here is the longest chapter yet! Exams behind, New Year's Break ahead, and a (little) bit of free time in my hands, I look forward to working on the next chapter and getting it to you as soon as possible! Stick around, lots more to come in following chapters! Leave comments with your theories, I am curious what you all think ^~^**

 **ALSO! "Justicar" has been renamed to "Sovereign", to better reflect the overall theme of the story (canonical).**

 **In other news | I have decided that I am going to be going back through the last chapter (Balance) and touching up some details and the end of the chapter. No major plot points will change, but expect some more details and a bit more (interesting!) information to be added. I feel it was a weak chapter by my standards, and will be actively working to improve my writing. To finish this A/N up, I'd like to remind you:**

 **Please leave a review! It means the world to me whether it is positive or negative; it shows that you care enough to help me improve by reviewing my work. If there's anything you'd like to keep a bit more secretive, I am always open to private messaging, and try to respond as soon as possible.**

 **Have a wonderful day wherever you are, and may your future be bright!**

 **\- Ren**

This note will be deleted upon the publishing of the next chapter.

* * *

 _Tick...  
Tock._

 _Tick...  
Tock._

The dead thuds echoed through my head, deflecting off the cracked, gloomy stone walls that caressed me as I crept steadily onward. Their origin, I knew not — cared not. My eyes, trained on nothingness, peered aimlessly into the darkness ahead of me, weary, yet refusing to rest. My nails clawed gently at my throat, my mind begging for relief from my thirst. Stomach groaning and head throbbing, I continued on as I had done for two — no, three days. Silently praying for release from the torture I had brought on myself.

Stone windows arched high beside me as the soft whispers of my steps danced gently around my aching mind. Behind, only the void stared back at me; licking its black lips, taunting me — calling to me. There was no light, no life — darkness; vast emptiness, and deafening silence. Shadows leapt from wall to wall, their sinister forms stretched into infinity on the frigid, pale murals that lined the corridor. They moaned into the emptiness, I heard their cries. Weeping, pleading, begging. Unyielding, I walked. I needed to keep walking.

One tile, one breath, one step — I traipsed unceasingly, though the world around me seemed to stand in place. Each exhalation suspended in the void, each echo, a haunting moan. My mind was devoid of thought, I had lost all sense of need. How I found my way to this wretched, haunting place was knowledge now lost to me. Instead, I carried on, stepping deeper into the void, towards the unending knocking. The relentless thudding. A sickening rhythm, its cruelty hanging in the damp air, staring at me as I went.

 _Tick...  
Tock._

I snapped out of my trance at the sound of the wicked ticking, from where it came, I knew not. A sickly metronome, counting down my final minutes, or so it seemed. Abruptly I halted, the shrill tone of a child's laughter ringing out behind me. The calm sound of shoes coming to a standstill just feet behind me prompted my body to tense. The hairs on my neck stood up as the frigidity of the darkness came rushing at me. I spun around to face the voice, unprepared for what I would see: _nothing._

In my wake, the very ground I had walked on had vanished, and only the vast and empty abyss stared back at me. I had heard the footsteps of a voice, of that, I was certain, but the voice was nowhere to be found.

Another laugh rang out, crawling up my spine. I wheeled around on my heels, but this time, I was not met by the dark void, but rather a blinding light. The shadow of the little girl who had been giggling stood a few feet away and motioned me to come towards her. Her face was shrouded by a wide hood and she wore plain clothes, finely pressed to her body. The platinum hair atop her young head fell just below her shoulders. She was merely a child, alone.

She swayed softly back and forth, clutching at a doll as I took a hesitant step in her direction, out into the blinding void. To my surprise, my foot contacted solid stone, and the echoes of the castle greeted me coldly. The girl's footsteps disappeared behind an archway, and I followed her deeper, feet falling briskly across the majestic purple rug that lined the threshold. I turned into the room to be met with a wide emptiness; only one painting was visible, opposite me. The suit of glossy metallic armour that guarded the doorway stared blankly into my soul as I passed it, its scarlet undercloth ruffling gently as the wind kissed it ever so sweetly. I could have sworn I saw eyes within the shadow of its mask, peering into my soul. My heart's desires, for a moment, displayed in my mind's eye. I blinked them away and crept away from the statue; I had nothing to fear.

 _Tick...  
Tock._

The girl stood to the side of the painting, her young eyes fixed on the floor, hood covering her face, refusing to meet my eyes. Pale hands were still visibly wrapped around the doll she held, of which only the humble golden shimmer of its jewelry flitted out. She withdrew it into her sleeve and giggled once more — an innocent laugh, that, for reasons unbeknownst to me, made me shiver. The laughter hung in the dry air for a moment before I realized —

 _I_ _know_ _that_ _laughter._

I glanced up from her inclined form into the deep blue of the painting, but was met with my own face. _Not_ _a_ _painting_ , _a_ _mirror,_ I thought. Moments ago I could have sworn I saw a painting. Ripples filled the mirror as I turned back towards the girl, but instead of meeting the cream coloured robes in glance, I saw only a grassy meadow. The castle had vanished, and the mirror had revealed itself to be a pond. The shrill innocence of playful laughter came from across the narrow body of water.

Clad in a violet plaid blouse and modest black skirt, the young girl danced on the side opposite my own, unaware of my existence. She was older than the girl who had stood beside me an instant ago, as was evident by her much longer hair. She spun in circles, arms extended on either side, hopping merrily along the edge of the water as her braid twirled behind her. White locks, much like my own, fell on either side of her rosy cheeks and complimented her joyous grin.

"Careful!" I shouted, cautioning her as she approached the water's maw — wide open, waiting for her to tumble inward.

The girl took no notice of my words, but stopped spinning. Hands stretched outright towards her still reflection, she clenched her fists and spun them gracefully, guiding the water toward the heavens. What had been glassy liquid just moments ago shot up into the sky as a brilliant ribbon, sunlight twinkling in its form. The fiery golden rays spun around the crystalline liquid and intertwined as the water encircled the girl commanding it. She drifted side to side, motioning swiftly as the water followed her movements. Suddenly, she dragged her hands down in a forceful motion, and the spiraling serpent stopped hissing, exploding into a sphere not much larger than her head. The light glistened softly inside as the girl stood fast, arms still raised. She and I stood breathless, admiring the globe of liquid that her magic had conjured, resting silently above the pond. She gazed at it a moment longer, and without another word, her knees gave way as she sank to the ground, the water collapsing back into the pond.

 _Tick...  
Tock._

A droplet of water landed on my cheek and I wiped it away, a pale coloured mud streaking away along with it; I had been dirtied by the days of endless walking. I looked up to the sky that has been cloudless just moments ago, but, strangely, there were still no clouds in sight.

Another drop hit me in the eye and I winced. Followed by another, and another. Quickly, my vision was filling up with rain. I wiped it away, but it wouldn't stay away. Pouring on me now, I closed my eyes to shield myself from the downpour but when I reopened them, I was greeted by a vision filled with water. Though I didn't feel wet, the water was all around me. In fact, I was submerged, but I could breathe. Above me, I could clearly see footsteps on the water. They were on the surface, but they did not break the tension. Distorted by the surface of the liquid that I was encased in, violet and black were clearly visible; the girl was walking on water. Slowly but surely, she made her way into the center of what I now assumed to be the pond. I watched intently as her light footsteps tickled the water. Ripples emanated from all around her as she crept with purpose across the pond. Impeccable balance, trust in her ability, and confidence were all visible by her calm demeanor. I could not see her face, though I knew it to be determined.

Suddenly, the ripples grew; her toe had pierced the velvety surface and she had faltered. She spun like a ballerina to regain her balance, but her other heel had landed too hard — her left foot had fallen through the water. The specs of purple that had been flittering down from above quickly expanded as the young girl's body came crashing through the glass-like ceiling. Her small arms thrashed around, desperately clawing at the waters that refused to offer salvation. I reached towards her in an attempt to swim, but the creamy white robe of the little girl became visible peripherally, and she grabbed my hand. Shockingly, I could not move; she held me in place with great force.

The thrashing of the young girl soon ceased as her body failed her. abandoning hope, she laid still and let her head fall into the water. Like a dove's wings, her snowy hair fluttered as it sunk deeper and deeper. Her glossy eyes stared straight through me as she fell for seemingly and eternity, enveloped in the dark depths of the pond.

Amidst the deadly stillness, the surface shattered once more as another form, a boy, came shooting into view. In a powerful dive, the young boy's pale body came careening into view, focus locked on the sinking girl. A strong look of determination was present on his face as he slashed the water with his arms, flying through the frigid depths. Breath was escaping his mouth in a flurry of bubbles, but he swam deeper and deeper still, never losing sight of his target. I clenched the child's hand like a vice, hoping that time was not expunged.

* * *

I gazed blankly as his form slowly stopped moving forward, suspended in front of me. It was now me in place of the girl in the water, the life seeping away into the murky emptiness. The pale stranger who had tried so valiantly to reach me, so near to me, but still separated by frightening distance. My hands were stones, no longer held by the child. The boy's eyes, filled with fear, were wide as he fiercely snatched my wrist into his palm and tugged me with immense force. His feet shredded the icy water that was slowly drowning me, drawing us slowly upward towards the brilliant sunlight. I could see, I could feel, but I could not move. Before long, the sweet caress of the wind would take me, and pull what consciousness I had left from my limp vessel. I submitted to the end, feeling as though it would be my only release. As my head broke through the surface, it was not the shining heavens that greeted me, but the now dusty plum carpet of the castle and its stony cobble ceiling. Standing above me was the girl in plain clothes, eyes closed; her hood was no longer atop her head. Her short hair fell uniformly around her thin face as she motioned for me to rise. Though I felt weak, I found no struggle in rising from my collapsed state. Raising my head from the rug, now slightly more torn than I recalled it, I lost sight of her. My question regarding her whereabouts was quickly answered as her childish laughter rang out behind me. She stood on the threshold, the armour's imposing form casting a shadow on the candlelit floor. With a swift step, she departed from the room, heading deeper into the hallway. I decided that I should follow her, given that I hadn't another option.

My steps were quiet on the thick ratty rug beneath me, the same one that had seemed so elegant a short time ago. My breaths were stunted from the shock, but I followed the girl through the hallway; she spoke not a word. I chased her shadow as it leapt merrily off the walls. I slunk not-so-joyously after it. As I rounded a final corner, the hall opened up before a grand doorway, which I passed through. The girl was sitting on a carefully carved bench, identical to the countless others that lined the edges of the room. At the front of the chamber lied a podium, in front of which two finely dressed men stood arguing. The girl from the pond stood before a carefully coiffed man who wore the royal purple and gold robes, his hands clenching protectively at her shoulders. Across from them, within arms' reach was a slightly shorter, bespectacled man, his beard long. I recognized him as the Chancellor of Ionia — the head of the cabinet of ministers — by his red cape.

"Councilman, your daughter is reckless! Her magic has done nothing but endanger herself and others — just last moon she caused structural damage at madam Shin's home, and then at the local market when the Hooligans were harassing her! It is utterly unacceptable!" The girl sunk her head in shame as the Chancellor spoke.

"But those boys were threatening her —" he cleared his throat before continuing, "I assure you, Chancellor, it shall not happen again."

"Your assurances no longer suffice. You have failed to support your claims from the previous ordeal, and the threat of the girl's power can no longer be ignored. She is a _witch!"_ Her father tightened his grip on her shoulders.

"And what do you suggest we do about her power?" said the man, his tone rising this time. "I have tried earnestly to discourage her use of powers, but she blatantly disobeys me. There is nothing left I can do!"

"Abuse of magic is punishable by death, of which I am sure you are aware, Councilman. Is that what you want this to come to?" The girl recoiled as he spat the words towards her father and I clenched for the hand of the child sitting next to me. The Chancellor was evidently in a rage. "This is no longer about her own safety, but the safety of others before her."

"She is merely a child! Death is not acceptable for someone of her age; she doesn't understand the consequences of her actions! Surely there is another way." The man fumbled with the girl's hair as he thought for a moment, before exclaiming, "The Magus! She can teach her. She is the strongest mage in Ionia, surely Karma is willing to teach Syndra." I shot forward, gripping the bench in front of me. _Syndra?_

"I will not have it, and nor would she. Magus Karma is under a heavy workload and has no time to meddle with your menace of a daughter. The only option is to revoke her magic."

" _Revoke_ _it?_ Nonsense, can't yo—"

"Permanently. You must understand," he continued, noting the crushingly defeated look on my father's face, "That the alternative is her death. Should she abuse her powers more, I will have no choice." Tears welled in my younger eyes as he clenched me, his cleanly-shaven jaw visibly clenched.

"Very well. Do as you must, but know that if my daughter is to die, Chancellor," he hissed, agony in his voice, _"I die with her."_ With that, he spun on his heels and dragged my younger self alongside him, past me and out the large door frame, into the shadows of the castle.

I turned to the girl who ought to have been next to me, but found that she was not there. I stood to search for her, but noticed her standing in front of the podium where the Chancellor and my father had been quarreling just moments ago. I approached her and she drifted swiftly away, towards a portcullis hidden loosely behind a drape. She disappeared through it, giggling as I traced after her. As I broke through the veil, I noticed a distinct lack of the familiar bricks of the castle; a cave opened up in which I found a glistening pond, stars seemingly swimming in its waters. The pond extended backwards into the surprisingly bright cavern. Vines crawled up the edges and caressed the roots that had nestled their way in through the roof.

Atop the pristine lilac waters stood the girl. She ushered me forward as she crept backwards into the cave, the chatter of two men audible in the distant background; I recognized them as the Chancellor and my father. With hesitation, I edged onto the waters and was relieved to find that my feet did not sink through; they floated on the surface as though it were glass. I crept forward in her wake, making my way deeper into the cave, following the reverberations of the men that were fading further away. I gazed at the mesmerizing twinkling in the water, like shining stars in the shallow depths.

At last, I found myself at a narrow jade staircase winding upwards into the night sky. I ascended it eagerly to see what was at the end of the vast cavern. Above us, the world opened up, peering in through the crystal dome that surrounded the circular room we now found ourselves in. In the center, dividing us from the others, was a pond much like the one we had walked on moments ago; a luminous energy was emanating from it. I stepped cautiously around, careful not to disturb the still waters — though in my mind I knew that no one could see me. In the shadow of my father, my younger self became visible, clearly distraught. I wracked my brain for memory of any of this, but found that I had none.

 _These_ _memories_... _Are_ _they_ _real?_

The Chancellor spoke in a mild tone to a figure whom I could not perceive; it was on the ground, sitting with legs crossed, veiled by a long cream, black and gold cloak. A hood was drawn over its head, but the shape of a blade-like horn protruded from the darkness from atop. Nodding her head and meeting my eyes for the first time, the girl gestured for me to approach the exchange, taking a slight step back as she did so. I obliged, approaching the caucus.

"The girl's powers are unmatched. It is not my right to strip them from her," spoke the figure, her voice gentle and sweet, like a butterfly kissing my ears.

"We provide harbour for you, Soraka, it is your duty to serve us."

"I heal your wounded, I am not a witchdoctor. The Stars have entrusted me Their gift of life as a final offering, and I owe my time here to Them," spoke the figure, softly but with conviction.

"You have the _right_ to do as I say, Starchild. Or I will —"

"I will _not,"_ interrupted Soraka, standing in a flash, producing a staff from within her cloak, "Accept your threats again, Chancellor. My power is not one you may pawn any longer." Though her voice was peaceful, I couldn't help but feel threatened by her demeanor; she seemed too gentle.

The crescent at the tip of the staff, as big as the man's head, rested its tip visciously under his chin. He grimaced as he motioned for Soraka to withdraw the weapon. Pushing it down calmly with his hands, he took a step back and cleared his throat as he so often did, before my father intervened, "Starchild, I beg you. My daughter has no alternative. If you cannot take her powers, she will face death."

"I am in no position to disobey my commandments on the world. Nothing will change my mind of that," she spoke, clearly.

The Starchild gracefully drew her hood back with her left hand and taking a deep breath. Beneath, a golden crown became visible that elegantly encircled her hair, black as the night sky. Her skin was a hue of purple much like the pond in front of her, and her golden eyes glistened like the stars. She rested her staff with authority on the floor, gripping it loosely in her right hand. She nudged past the men and made her way towards the body of water, her footfalls resonating with a hollow sound around the room; they were not a human's.

"Leave the girl with me," she stated, after pondering it a moment longer.

"So — so you'll do it?" my father stammered.

The Chancellor smiled proudly, approaching Soraka, his hands at his sides. He bowed profusely as he thanked her; "Wonderful decision Soraka, we thank you deeply."

"I will do what I must," she said, addressing the taller of the two men, before turning her attention to the plump, shorter man. "I am not doing this for you."

"But I thank you nonetheless. Now, come, Councilman, we must depart," he urged, rushing out of the room with a final nod of acknowledgement to my younger self.

 _Tick...  
Tock._

My father's chin quivered as he regretfully placed his arms around my still damp waist, embracing me deeply. "I love you, Syndra," he whispered in my younger ears, before he broke his hold on me. Though I knew he could not see me, I still echoed the words under my breath. I closed my eyes as they began to sting, and found myself looking into the eyes of Soraka. Staring into the universe within her glossy pupils, I flinched as she wiped the tears from my lids, her warm hands caressing my cheeks as they graced me. I stood alone in the room, only her and me. My younger self had vanished, and I glanced around before realizing that I was in her place. Soraka took her gentle, silky hand and clasped my damp, cold ones firmly. Bending down to my shortened height, coming to rest on her knees, she spoke reassuringly to me, "Have hope, my child. I will cleanse your mind, but not your power. You have a gift, and I will protect it. Do you trust me?"

I tried to speak but found that I could not; I settled for a feeble nod. I swallowed hard as she stood once more, towering over me. I shivered; my violet blouse was still damp from earlier.

"Step into the pool, my dear, for in it, you will find purity. The stars will guide you, and protect you. Be strong."

I wanted to retort but found myself unable to. Instead, I turned slowly from the shore and stepped into the glassy water. This time, however, it broke away around my feet, the vitrine shattering to allow my passage. I directed my advance towards the center and became entranced by the cosmic waters. The water was making it's way slowly but certainly above my head, but I pressed onward. Behind me I still felt Soraka's gaze as I sank deeper and deeper, my feet floating faintly to the sand that lined the bed.

The water over my head, I was enveloped in a shimmering lilac and golden light. An infinite distance in all directions, but only the sandy path to walk on. I found it much easier to walk now that I was fully submerged, and kept walking downwards, where I planned to lay in the center. I looked upwards from the glittering path into the galaxy of colours that surrounded me and saw the girl who had guided me here, suspended in front of me, her eyes trained on me. She didn't move, but floated as though held like a marionette. I focused on her and inched ever onward towards her. As I neared her, I could see her face becoming more defined, her arms and legs strengthening. The somber cream robe that had lied upon her shoulders slid off, revealing a golden breastplate underneath. She was draped in magnificent crimson and black sheets, with laces fluttering down around her. Her flowing white hair glowed brilliantly as I gazed upon her rapidly evolving form.

Space around me rushed in circles, spiraling, disorientating me. I walked nearer and nearer, the colours slowly settling into pitch black. It was closing in quickly, and I was unprepared to be consumed once more by it. I tried to turn but found once again that I could not; the imposing darkness cloaked the golden-armoured girl in the night, sending the gold flying like fireflies in the dying rays of twilight. Beneath the shimmering beauty of the gold revealed a black robe, slits cut out of it. It was carefully crafted and revealed many curves of the girl's body. Her legs were nearly bare, and her hands were wrapped in a black lace. She stood glaring at me with her blue eyes, now just inches away from my own. Then, I noticed it.

 _I_ _was_ _staring_ _into_ _my_ _own_ _eyes._

She raised her hand to mine as a smile crept into her face; it was like looking into a mirror. I traced her movement with my own hand and stopped before touching hers. For the first time since I first met the girl, I listened to her speak. In my own voice, she spoke to me, as her eyes glowed in a menacing violet light: _"The_ _time_ _has_ _come."_

My head split in torment as my palm pressed into hers, and the space around me exploded in a cacophony of colour. The screaming of the shadows, the young laughter, the ticking, the tocking, all ravaged my mind. I was falling into emptiness, the void filled with stars showing no escape, when, in a flash of blinding purple light, I smashed into the stone floor of the castle. In front of me, the suit of armor that I had seen standing at every wall corner, every doorway. In front of me it stood, its impeccable posture mocking my crushed form. I gazed at its mask as I stood cautiously, gritting my teeth in anguish. Meeting its hollow visage, I gazed into the shadows within. I envied the pain it could not feel, the metallic purity of nonexistence. I nearly lost my balance when the bell struck.

 _Dong._

A deep, bellowing strike that shook the castle as it roared. The clock had wound down, and this was its terminus. My body had barely stopped shaking from the haunting reverberation than did I hear a deep voice behind me say:

 _"Syndra_ — it's been too long."


End file.
